an inspector calls

shiela

"you don't seem to have learned anything"

• achknowledges purpose of inspectors inquirey -a moral teaching

• Priestley does this to portray the older generation as stubborn and opposed to changing their stance on reponsibility

Shiela

"i felt rotten about it at the time"

• "rotten"-informal adjective demonstrates shielas lack of maturity through vocabulary

• shows remorse for actions, Priestly conveying message that maturity is proportianal to level of social responsibility you feel, rather than using formal vocabulary

Sheila

"it's you two who are being childish- trying not to face the facts"

• recognises her parents faults

• Priestley uses irony to expose lack of responsibility and immaturity of Mr and Mrs birling ,as she labels them as "childish"

Shiela

"but these girls aren't cheap labour- they're people"

• priestley demonstrates shielas recognition of inspectors message as she objects to her fathers dehumanising message and capitalist approach

Birling

"i can't accept any responsibility"

• "can't"-modal verb suggests blame goes against his nature

• doesn't want to be burdened by mistake

• effects his reputation

• priestley does this to show how obsession with class clouds judgement

Birling

"obviously it has nothing to do with that wretched girls suicide"

• "obviously"-result of arrogance and disrespect of others accepting blame would be a sign of weakness

• "wretched girls"-lacks compassion and patience-won't take responsibility because he doesn't pity her

• believes his actions are irrelevent- priestley implies this interpretation is simplistic and self serving, allowing people to excuse themselves of blame

Birling

"that's every excuse for what your mother and i did- it turned out unfortunately thats all"

• worthless reason- desperarte to excuse himself of blame

• "unfortunately thats all"- conveys heartlessness

• makes it seem like a trivial matter showing how upper classes trivialised and dismissed lower class hardships- evas death is an inconvenience

Eric

"i wasn't in love with her or anything but i liked her- she was pretty and a good sport"

• only sought comfort and affection- something his parents lacked

• childish, irresponsible

• objectifies her- like prey, fell prey to birlings and class system

Eric

"[involuntarily] my god"

• contrast "yes, yes horrible business"

• convey message that emotion is humsn and necessary for society to improve

• "involuntarily"- demonstrates moral nature of Eric as he could not suppress his emotional reachtion- would choose to not show emotions ina partriarchal society which condemns feminine traits e.g excessive emotion as "hysteria"

inspector-responsibility

"we are members of one body, we are responsible for each other... if men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught in fire, blood, anguish"

• priestly warning audience and society of consequence of evading social responsibility

• language is carefully composed and moralistic in tone

• violent imagery is powerful and suggesting impending conflict

Inspector/ responsibility

"public men, Mr birling, have responsiblities as well as privileges"

• birlings have an even greater responsibility because of upperclass

• authur repeats responsibility but interprets it differently

• inspector argues memers of society have duties and obligations towards each others welfares

Birling

"it's my duty to keep labour costs down"

• "duty"- to his business but not his society

• neglect and inhumanity are a part of business

• does not believe he is responsible for anyone else

• implies his duty is exploit his workers

Birling- social responsibility

"you'd think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive- community and all that nonsense"

• "you'd think"- thinks idea is prepostorous

• "bees in a hive"- people in his factories had to work like bees while he did nothing, believes community and social responsibility is weak and demeaning

• "all that nonsense"- audience views him as heartless becayse of insensitive language.

• constructed to be disgusted by the idea of helping others